“Woof! Woof. Woof!”
“What’s that, Lassie, old girl? There’s a boy? Trapped in the old mine shaft?? And he needs our help???”
“Woof! Woof, woof. Woof!!”
“Ah, I see, you’re saying that irresponsible child can wait a bit but we urgently need another Twickenham High Street Update? I’ve got it now, old girl. Let’s get on with it.”

So there we have it. Despite just a few weeks passing since our last update it’s time for another. Spring is in the air and on the high street. Here’s what’s hot…

[UPDATE: We’ve added a few new items at the end of this article]

After the warm reception and positive reviews given to Ke Sushi on London Road, we’ve now gone and got ourselves a second sushi restaurant in the form of Iso Sushi on York Street. There’s been a distinct lack of recent success in that place – we’re talkin’ the short-lived Din’s Grill and Pizza Rizzo – so here’s hoping for third time lucky with this new business. What with sushi being the new Thai (which was the new Indian, which was the new tripe and onions, etc) it could actually do well.

Sushi you, Sir!

On King Street there’s a brand new place selling frozen yogurt. It’s called Yogocrush. Don’t believe us? Well you can bloody well take a look at the photograph then. It’s doesn’t seem that long ago since London Road had two milkshake / ice cream / frozen yogurt places but neither Yummies nor Shhhakes lasted the distance. We reckon that Yogocrush’s King Street location is better for passing trade than London Road so all we need now is a long, hot sunny spell to help get things up and running. Will you be popping in?

Yogocrush, King Street

Also on King Street the former ABC Pharmacy is now a menswear shop. It’s all about the Italian Design, no less! There hasn’t been a dedicated menswear shop in Twickenham for many years. We’re about to find out if there was a reason for that, or not. Could we soon be living the Dolce Vita in south west London?

Suits you, sir! Twickenham fashionistas stand quite near new shop

Now then, we all love a washing up bowl, don’t we? Bloody brilliant is what they are. Same goes for buckets. And rubbish sacks. And those little pedestals that kids use to get on and off toilets. All brilliant! And that is why you’ll be interested to hear that the Twickenham Discount Store (near M&S) is moving further up Heath Road to near the TLC Tattoo studio. You’ll just have to walk a little further for all those unglamorous but essential utensils… unless you already live round there in which case you won’t. Obviously.

And in that neck of the woods, Krafty Kidz, who have been entertaining children for a few years from their Heath Road shop have taken the decision to move onto other ventures, focusing on photography and children’s entertainment. Their store closed earlier in April.

But we’re not done with Heath Road yet. Far from it, in fact. There’s plenty of work going on in the old Citizens Advice Bureau building which, as we have previously reported, is going to become an auction house run by High Road Auctions. They already run one in Chiswick and the idea is that pretty much anyone can sign up to sell anything. Sounds a bit like eBay but in the real world. Now there’s an idea! Coffee drinkers will be relived to hear that there’ll be a cafe too. It’s due to open in May.

In the former World of Travel & Transport also on Heath Road, there’s a new business providing upholstery services going by the name of… Twickenham Upholstery. We were trying to think of ways to pad out that particular piece of news but we reckon we pretty much covered it with just the one sentence. Ah well, such is life.

On Cross Deep we hear that what used to be the Piano Lounge is being stripped out and refitted en route to becoming part of the Beauty & the Beach salon.

And talking of photographs, which we weren’t, heading west beyond Twickenham Green to Staines Road, there’s a new studio just opened specialising in pet photography. It’s called Little and Large and we have to say that some of those critters look pretty darn cute.

And finally: Not new shops but a few things worth a mention…
Readers Digestive: Waterstones in Twickenham are starting a monthly Sunday evening book group. You know the drill, get book, read most of book, pretend you understood book, drink wine, gossip about friends. OK, so they might not be supplying wine but they are offering biscuits. Check their blog for info.

All the gears, no ideas? Moores Cycles, are hosting a ‘learn bike maintenance’ evening at their London Road store. It’s a chance to pick up some basic skills and chat to experts over a beer. You don’t have to be some kind of lycra clad loon to take part because no experience is necessary although booking is required.

Daily bread: Local micro-bakery Blackbird Bread is now selling its loaves at Heavenly Dish on Heath Road. And if you want to learn as well as just eat, Blackbird Bread run the occasional class in baking and Heavenly Dish run a range of cookery courses, specialising in the likes of Thai and other Asian cuisine.

“Woof! Woof!” “That’s right, Lassie. There was a lot to say after all, wasn’t there?”“Woof.”“Oh, stop going on and on about that blasted child, will you? We’ll rescue him at the weekend or next week or something.”

That’s all for now folks. Keep it real. Keep it local.

UPDATES:
From the comments or from Twitter we now bring you…
From @cgencer on Twitter…. “Pizza Hut to replace Blah Blah Blah on Heath Rd? http://www2.richmond.gov.uk/lbrplanning/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=14/1349/FUL&#8221;. This would be a takeaway and delivery service. Expect moped wars with similar ventures in the town.
From the comments below. Sami’s Barbers new in Heath Road, near the LLoyds Bank.
Also from Twitter… The Old Anchor pub on Richmond Road is closing down. Sad to see another pub fall by the wayside.

11 responses to “Twickenham High Street and Shopping Update”

The Standard Tandoori restaurant in Heath Road has finally closed after 40 years. I was one of a diehard group of loyal customers who went on a regular basis and will now miss the old establishment very much indeed.

I went last week and Sami’s is very good. He is on Twitter @samisbarbers with discount details. Nice to have a proper barber in town. Also does wet shaves and is talking about a shoe-shine service. Top man too. (No relation.)

Ke Sushi in London Road now occupies the shop that was previously Yummies, the place that sold frozen yogurt and that was closed more than it was open.
Hope Yogocrush can make a go of it as there was also another similar place in London Road, next to the Twickenham Tavern, that lasted only a short while too, (now a mobile phone accessory and repair shop).
As you say, Iso Sushi now occupies the money pit that was Din’s Grill, Pizza Rizzo and various fast food places that were there before those two.
Do these folk do any market research or are they just mighty brave?
Italian Design looks intriguing. All the other local men’s clothes shops have disappeared pronto. Do they know something we don’t?
Anyone remember the cool guy who sold hats and urban clothes in The Hat Spot in Heath Road? Shame that shop went as it was the only place in Richmond and Twickenham you could buy a good looking trapper hat or a ushanka with a Soviet styley badge on the front!
Well at least folk are taking a chance on opening new stores, which is good. But it still amazes me how many shops have gone through refurbishment and fitting out, never to open, or trade just a few weeks before they go bust. Heath Road is littered with them.
Mind you the Isfahan Carpet Palace in Heath Road has been there since 1980 and is one of the longest running specialist rug stores in the southeast, so it must be doing something right.
Shame Church Street can’t be revitalised as it’s looking a bit sad with so many empty premises, but I hear rents and rates are astronomical.
Twickenham still has a lot of active shops compared to many places. The problem is that they are very spread out and folk often don’t take the time to seek them out and support them. High Road Auctions will hopefully bring people into the town that normally wouldn’t come here. Auction buyers and sellers return regularly so that will help retailers, pubs and cafes too.

I’m excited about the sushi and frozen yogurt. And if High Road Auctions is good enough for Chiswick… But please, when will that cake shop put a sign up with their name? Why did they paint it plain black (with pastel pink on window frames no less) – drives me crazy! And I’m so sad to see Krafty Kids go – that place was a gem. (Ok, my rant is over.)

There is also a new barber shop (Sami’s I believe) which is also worth a mention.. There also seems to be some work going on in the old Paws store next to Rueben’s and also in the shop next to the funeral directors on Cross Deep. It feels like the number of empty shops are finally declining?

Chatting with the builders working at the old Paws shop next to Rubens, it looks like that shop will be a paint/decorating shop, a branch of the Alternative Paint Company near Marble Hill Park.

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